Newsflash! Jedi spotted in Morroco

The rare Atlas Jedi was spotted looking for his Wookie on the dry side of the atlas mountains...




I now understand where they bought their costumes. Stacks of Jedii lurking in Morocco.

Long day: Marrakech to Ouarzazate... and back!

Question of the day; if a revolution can be organized with the help of twitter, can't it be used at 5 am instead of the loudspeaker on the minaret???






















Beautiful scenery on the way to Morocco's little Hollywood, where parts of Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and prince of Persia were filmed. On the way back we were even 'treated' to snow crossing over the Atlas mountains. Talk about four seasons in one day.

Wishing you an Argan oil massage and no sand in your jocks.

dog eat dog

Last weekend I went to France, and then returned to Lagos. I say Lagos, but it could be Mombassa, even Lima, throw in Delhi. Pick any spot where traffic is chaos and it is a general uncivilised free-for-all, the kind of mess you associate with developing infrastructure and general lawlessness on the road, throw in some overpopulation for good measure and a couple of broken down trucks... well that is where it feels like I came back to; Paris. In fact, it couldn't be any of those places, because despite the traffic being chaotic and the drive leaving you with a this-is-a-dog-show feeling, the people are lovely and kind, some even smile. The same can't be said for Paris!

Why is it that the French in Paris have to trample each other for nothing? If there were something to gain, I could manage to understand it, but when the gain is to avoid someone else making a gain, that's just stupid. What inconsiderate childishness.

Some tips for integration on your next visit. When in Paris make sure you block intersections, use highway on-ramps to steal three places in the traffic, squeeze people out when merging lanes and push into queues. In fact do your best to screw over your fellow countrymen... Oui, fraternité! It's not on the town halls as a motto, but a despairing reminder.

That said I did visit the charming, beautiful France on the weekend, this region seems to coincide with everything outside the radius of about 50 km from Paris. The people are kind a welcoming, they even talk to strangers, the food is good, the pace is peaceful and the air is fresh. 

Ah, how Paris could be a such great city.

2010

Lovely to take in some sunshine, and of course family at the end of the year.

Some lovely nectar in the making... Shiraz apparently.

Dornier wines nestled in the Hottentots Holland mountain - it was hot!

Yum!

All the best for 2011!

holidaying is for the birds...

Hluhluwe reserve was amazing, and the birds were a treat; owls, bee-eaters, eagles, rollers and many a Hoopoe.

Spare a thought for the Turkey at this time of year...

Hluhluwe is great, not only for the little things, but even if elephants are you favourites...

The Berg

A night out, out of town, down in the Drakensburg.

Ah the fresh air.

Johies

A night out on the town...

brrr

Not much fun when in the city, but out in the hills, it's another story.

there is an upside

So, we officially entered depression last weekend with the shift in the clocks. No more afternoon, straight into the night. At least with all the trees around we have an upside.

Crazy horse

The weekend is normally time for the menage... for a change it's been turned upside down, this one has seen some manège.

just because

As Europe slides into its season of depression, lead in by the cold and the dark, it is nice to think of those sunnier places in our memories.

So, instead of grey from Paris, here's a more pleasant thought; sea spray in Cape Point Nature Reserve, near the tip of the Cape peninsula. I'm surprised the Portuguese didn't stay when they first saw this, but they planted their cross and moved on.

Wishing you sunny memories.

La Seine à Bougival le soir

OK, so it's about as far from a Claude Monet as one can get, and it's not even evening. I didn't really realise, until last weekend, that Monet did many series, like his haystacks, the cathedral and even the famous bridge over the lily pond. What I did know, is that he lived nearish Bougival, where this photo was taken of the Seine.

Unlike fiddling with Aperture 3 settings, his interest in the series was obviously to capture the varying light, and in so doing render the subject quite differently, apparently working on several canvases in short succession as the light changed.

The Monet exhibition at the Grand Palais is quite something, it was a push trying to squeeze it into 2 hours. You must see it.  Of the many works on show, my favourite is perhaps La pie, although I could also spend ages just soaking up Les Nymphéas, especially those in L'Orangerie museum.

Sometimes it isn't too schabby living in Paris.

stroll in the park

Albeit grey, it was quite a pleasant day to stroll in the park.

Just because

It's fig season.

Industrial art

Perhaps there are even interesting pictures in the port of Rotterdam.

One often finds a couple of giraffe standing around while another drinks.

You and me

I was alone, strolling down Copacabana beach. Late afternoon, wet from a quick swim. The sun was setting over the city, but one could still feel its warmth. The seasoned beach goers had mostly left, it was the now the runners and strollers’ shift.

I thought to myself, ‘this is paradise, what a perfect evening, what a perfect place’. Far from it. 

yes, that's garden furniture...

When in Rio you could go to the touristy restaurants, where it's expensive, you hang out with tourists and the food is mediocre, or, you can find a little bar on the street where the locals are entertaining and the food is mediocre...

Mais um chopp por favor.

Worse ways to spend a Sunday...

The day started off with me feeling very sorry for myself. Long haul flights are OK, you can stroll around, hang out in the galley or choose your film. Well you can if it's in one of the big planes. Last night, was 7,5 hours in a 737, with a back bulkhead seat that didn't recline, spaced for the legs of a little Panama girl. So, I had some guys head up my nose (consolation was my knees were in his kidneys), no individual screen and stuck next to the can. Although, being next to the toilet does allow you to fart with impunity.

Needless to say at 6am when our plane touched down I wasn't the happiest camper.

But then there was a nice shower, a fresh pineapple and coconut juice squeezed before my eyes and this stroll on Copacabana:

A midday nap, followed by a Skol and Chicken fillet lunch (in amongst the locals who were making a noise - they were even talking to each other at neighbouring tables - it felt so un-paris), then a fresh coconut juice alongside beach. An evening run on the beach to Ipanema to finish off.

What was that story about the flight again? There are worse ways to spend a Sunday. It just became great.

Smokin'

Top of Sicily at 3340 m

Steaming crater at about 2940 m, the Etna eruption of 2002.

View from Taormina towards the mainland.

Piazza Armerina to Taormina

The Romans invent the bikini? One of the girls from the mosaics to be seen at Casa Romana del Casale.

After dinner in Piazza Armerina

Getting the chop in Siracusa

Ahoy the mainland... looking from Taormina towards Calabria

Almond wine with roasted almonds